Five-year-old girl in China dies after contracting brain-eating amoeba from swimming

A five-year-old girl from Fujian province, China, has died after being infected with Naegleria fowleri—a rare but deadly organism known as the "brain-eating amoeba"—following a swimming and hot spring outing in June.

The girl, identified as Xing'er, began experiencing headaches, fever, and vomiting on June 22. 

She was hospitalized the next day after developing seizures and soon fell into a coma. 

On June 27, doctors confirmed she had been infected with Naegleria fowleri, a free-living amoeba that destroys brain tissue.

Despite 60 days of intensive treatment, she passed away on August 22. 

Her mother shared a heartfelt tribute online, writing, “My beloved child, may you leave suffering behind and go to a bright and happy place.”

According to medical experts, infections from Naegleria fowleri are extremely rare but carry a fatality rate of over 98 percent. 

The amoeba typically enters the body through the nose when people swim or dive in warm freshwater, such as lakes, hot springs, or poorly maintained pools. 

It then travels to the brain, causing a rapid and devastating form of meningitis.

Dr. Wang Xinyu, an infectious disease specialist from Huashan Hospital affiliated with Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University, emphasized that early symptoms resemble common meningitis, making the infection easy to misdiagnose. 

He urged anyone who develops a high fever, severe headache, or stiff neck after freshwater activities to seek immediate medical attention and mention their exposure history.

While infections are uncommon, children and young people are most vulnerable. 

Properly chlorinated pools and saltwater environments are considered safe, as the amoeba cannot survive in those conditions.